Please don’t judge – there are a great many Catholics who do what they can to make changes within themselves and to help effect positive spiritual growth in their families, parishes and communites. Because you’re not aware of their efforts and fruits does not mean it’s not happening. Yes, we all want every Catholic to take the faith and the Church’s mission to evangelize more seriously – that will never go away.
quiet52 - I apologize if you felt judged by my words - it was not my intention. I’m not judging anyone in particular but I am commenting on my experiences within the Church as a whole. Hence the forewarning about hasty generalizations.
My point with the first claim is that many people do not frequent the sacraments, they leave church before the final blessing, do not participate in parish missions or adult formation programs, drop their children off for religious education but don’t take advantage of it for themselves.
Even more so, as I said in the original post - DO NOT know HOW to evangelize.
Protestants and Mormons have outperformed the Catholic Church in this area for decades - until we shed what does not work and do something that does - it is truly outrageous to think things will change and that “our best effort” is good enough. God does not call us to a life of mediocrity but to a life of greatness.
I’m aware of many efforts in the church to evangelize - and I applaud them. That doesn’t mean that they could not be improved or that our own could be. We should constantly looking for a better way to bring souls to Christ.
There are many Catholics who acknowledge that they share in the responsibility to evangelize, but knowing “how to” is another issue.
As I mentioned above - I said that in my original post. Some however are not interested in learning how to. To quote a friend, “That’s what priests do right?”
So do you believe only young adults are able to evangelize other young adults? Do you fault the “oldsters” for wanting to evangelize when no one else steps forward? Have you not seen how well many youth ministers, no matter what the age, have been with young adults and teens? Yes – sometimes it’s absolutely “just fine” having an oldster work with young adults.
“Only” is your word not mine. The fact is, most high school and college students as well as young adults do not respond the same way to older people as they do to their peers. One on one relational evangelization within the same age group, as well as ethnic group when possible - is the best practice - IN GENERAL. There are always exceptions.
Terry292 we’ll take you if you’re available. Hope you don’t mind leading bible studies at 11:00pm to midnight, hanging out with college students until 3am occasional and getting up daily at 6:00am for adoration!
Holy Moly - we’ll take her too if she can engage college students and win them over to Jesus Christ. Does she play Ultimate Frisbee or go on hikes in the mountains?
It is just fine having the oldest work with the youngest - but we’re not talking about the youngest. We’re talking about the ones inbetween. If they cannot do the same things as young adults and be present with those they are trying to evangelize - it just does not make sense. It’d be like having the opposite - Ski Trip for the Senior Citizen Formation class - Black diamonds at 6:00pm be there or be square. Would you advocate for this - if not why?
Evangelization is the work of each and every Christian. There are some fortunate parishes whose members put enough money in the collection baskets to allow them to pay for youth ministers, DREs, etc. – but most cannot. That’s reality. In fact, during this economic crisis, parishes throughout the nation are having to cut back from already cut-to-the-bone budgets.
The sole purpose of the church is to evangelize. This comment has nothing to do with our mission to evangelize - it’s just an excuse.
We don’t have the money to pay someone else to do it is basically what you are implying here. That’s my point above, most people think it’s someone elses job - that we have to pay someone else to do it. Thank you for illustrating my point.
I don’t know ANYONE who helps with coffee and donuts after Mass who believes that effort is sufficient for the Church’s evangelization efforts. It’s but one small effort among many. You seem quite derisive and condemning in your comments.
It’s not even the beginning of parish outreach - the point of parish outreach to to reach OUT. This would be a parish INreach at best. However I have to be at any of these coffee and donut events where there was any evangelization going on. At every single one it has been a social hour. That’s NOT evangelization. There may be some rare cases where there’s formation attached - but again I’m speaking in hasty generalizations!
Again - I’m not trying to be derisive or condemn anyone - I’m questioning - is this the best practice, can we do better - I know we can.
Laugh as in irony. Do you know the ironic part of the Barrabas’ role in the passion of Jesus?
:harp: